California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to continue investigating the adverse health effects of ultra-processed foods and increase access to affordable, healthy foods.

As “ultra-processed foods” are known to pose a health risk to individuals, Newsom aims to reduce the consumption and purchasing of these foods in the state, which could potentially reduce long-term healthcare costs.

“The food we eat shouldn’t make us sick with disease or lead to lifelong consequences. California has been a leader for years in creating healthy and delicious school meals and removing harmful ingredients and chemicals from food. We’re going to work with the industry, consumers, and experts to crack down on ultra-processed foods and create a healthier future for every Californian,” Newsom said. 

The executive order orders specific state entities to:

• Provide recommendations to the Governor’s Office regarding potential action to limit the harms associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that pose a health risk to individuals.
• Continue investigating the adverse health impacts of synthetic food dyes.
• Recommend actions to reduce the purchase of soda, candy, other ultra-processed foods, and/or foods with synthetic food dye or other additives.
• Investigate the feasibility of requiring Medi-Cal Managed Care plans and California hospitals to use their Community Investment dollars and Community Benefit funds to enhance access to fresh, healthy foods, mitigate the impacts of “food deserts,” and otherwise promote public health at the local level.
• Identify areas where California may adopt higher standards for healthy school meals than national standards.
• Explore developing new standards and partnerships to protect further and expand universal school food programs.

Why this matters

The new 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Advisory Report to the federal Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Agriculture found that 73 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older are overweight or obese, and 38 percent of children and youth between 12 and 19 are prediabetic. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention have also identified the link between healthy eating and lowering an individual’s risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.

Leading the way on school nutrition

Children eat most of their meals at school, and research shows that healthy school meals result in better attendance, higher academic achievement, and improved overall health, including lowering the incidence of chronic disease in the long term. California standards already exceed federal school food safety rules, ensuring children consume fewer amounts of added sugars and sodium and more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

California was the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for schoolchildren, providing all public TK-12 students with two free meals per school day. In 2023, California became the first state to codify President Biden’s new federal guidelines on school nutrition standards to reduce sugar and salt in school meals. This established a process for California to maintain those standards should a different federal Administration enact lower standards.

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also championed efforts to develop the innovative California Farm to School initiative. California Farm to School works with universal school meals to ensure California students have access to two free school meals that are locally sourced, delicious, and nutritious. California also participates in the federal SUN Bucks food program, ensuring that children in low-income families have adequate nutrition while school is out for the summer.